Then [1950] if an American woman traveling alone wished to eat in a restaurant at night, even inside her own hotel, the head waiter would place before her a small American flag to warn the Spanish dandies that this one was not a prostitute, even though she was eating alone in public; now [1966] women frequent cafés alone, a thing quite impossible even five years ago.

...Italian words made me laugh in delight. I started referring to my cell phone as il mio telefonino ("my teensy little telephone"). I became one of those annoying people who always say: "Ciao!" Just speaking these words made me feel sexy and happy.